Breaking down Trump's year end speech: Major points you should know

In a televised address from the White House on Wednesday night, December 17, U.S. President Donald Trump delivered a sweeping overview of the first year of his second presidency.

The 47th U.S. president declared that the United States is “back, stronger than ever before” after as per his description a period of national decline under his predecessor.

In his address, he made direct contrast of his one year in office with the tenure of President Joe Biden, asserting, “I inherited a mess, and I'm fixing it.”

Economic revival and domestic policy

Emphasizing on economic metrics, he credited himself for reversing inflation and lowering costs for American families.

Key points made by him are:

• Inflation and prices: He stated that under his leadership, the prices of key goods like gasoline, Thanksgiving turkeys, and eggs have fallen dramatically with wages now rising faster than inflation.
• Tax Policy: The President announced that “checks are already on the way” for a “Warrior Dividend” of $1,776 for over 1.45 million military service members. He also claimed that his administration’s tax cut bill will save families between $11,000 and $20,000 annually.
• Healthcare and prescription drugs: Trump announced a major new initiative i.e., trumprx.gov. He asserted that he has negotiated “unprecedented price reductions” on pharmaceuticals by as much as 400-600% through a “most favored nation” policy enforced by threat of tariffs.
• Energy and housing: Trump declared a national energy emergency upon taking office, mentioning gasoline prices now under $2.50 per gallon. He pledged aggressive forthcoming housing reforms and blamed high housing costs on past migration policies.

Immigration and border security

Beside discussing economic progression, the address also featured some of its strongest rhetoric on immigration, a cornerstone of the President's political platform.

Trump asserted that for the past seven months, “zero illegal aliens have been allowed into our country.” He stated that this would have been impossible without his administration.

He claimed that he has turned “the worst border anywhere in the world” into “the strongest border in the history of our country.”

Highlighting the economic implications of improved border security, he stated that “100% of all net job creation has gone to American-born citizens” since his tenure in office, reversing a trend he attributed to the past administration.

Political contrast and future agenda

Throughout his 18-minute speech, Trump made a sharp contrast between his policies and those of Democratic Party.

Critique of opponents: He repeatedly criticized the “Biden administration” and “Democrat politicians” for formalizing the policies that he terms an “inflation disaster,” “open border”, and the “Unaffordable Care Act.”

Vision for the future: The President made concluding remarks by stating that the nation is “poised for an economic boom the likes of which the world has never seen” while looking forward to hosting the World Cup, the Olympics, and the nation’s 250th anniversary.